US export council road show in Asia
The US Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and 13 dairy suppliers are showcasing the nutrition and functionality of dairy by participating in the Fi Asia show in Jakarta this week (3-5 October), demonstrating the US dairy industry’s supply and innovation advantages as well as an enthusiastic commitment to deepen business ties in Southeast Asia, the council says.
“According to research USDEC conducted in Southeast Asia last year, ‘healthier option’ remains a top consideration for Southeast Asian consumers across countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam,” says Kristi Saitama, Southeast Asia team lead at USDEC. “Consumers across all six markets also recognised that protein is an important part of their diet, and that milk is a good source of protein, suggesting timing is ideal for Southeast Asian companies to innovate products with US dairy.”
Recipes for on-trend, regional applications ranging from sweet (pandan gula melaka cake and red bean high protein mooncakes) and savoury (squash and apple soup) to sports performance-focused (guava and sour plum protein beverage) were available at USDEC’s Fi Asia stand.
USDEC also developed prototypes for limited sampling that highlight the flavour-enhancing, sodium-reducing and cost-saving advantages of US permeate: pandan sesame and Asian spicy curry cookies, and chicken and curry flavoured instant noodle seasonings.
“These recipes demonstrate how US dairy matches the foods and flavours Southeast Asian consumers love,” says Martin Teo, technical director – food applications for USDEC in Southeast Asia, who is also a speaker at the international conference held in conjunction with Fi Asia on 3 October. “By providing inspiration and technical assistance, we strive to spur the launch of new, Southeast Asia-friendly products utilising US dairy ingredients.” As the world’s largest producer of cow’s milk, whey ingredients and skim milk powder, the US dairy industry is positioned to help formulators meet growing consumer demand for sustainably produced, nutritional and functional ingredients without sacrificing flavour, the council notes.
